Housing starts in Canada sank by 15% from the previous month to a seasonally adjusted of 238,049 in January of 2026, firmly below market expectations of 263,300, to mark the lowest rate in five months. Urban housing starts in centers with populations over 10,000 people fell by 18.7% to 218,182. In turn, rural starts were estimated at the 20,487 mark. source: Canada Mortgage And Housing Corporation

Housing Starts in Canada decreased to 238 Thousand units in January from 280.70 Thousand units in December of 2025. Housing Starts in Canada averaged 194.07 Thousand units from 1977 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 321.28 Thousand units in March of 2021 and a record low of 90.70 Thousand units in August of 1982. This page provides the latest reported value for - Canada Housing Starts - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news. Canada Housing Starts - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on February of 2026.

Housing Starts in Canada decreased to 238 Thousand units in January from 280.70 Thousand units in December of 2025. Housing Starts in Canada is expected to be 260.00 Thousand units by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the Canada Housing Starts is projected to trend around 235.00 Thousand units in 2027 and 200.00 Thousand units in 2028, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-01-16 01:15 PM
Housing Starts
Dec 282.4K 254.6K 260K 250.0K
2026-02-16 01:15 PM
Housing Starts
Jan 238K 280.7K 263.3K 275.0K
2026-03-16 12:15 PM
Housing Starts
Feb 238K


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Average House Prices 673400.00 675400.00 CAD Dec 2025
Building Permits 12835254.00 12013978.00 CAD Thousand Dec 2025
Building Permits MoM 6.80 -13.20 percent Dec 2025
Home Ownership Rate 66.70 69.30 percent Dec 2023
Home Sales 39134.00 40238.00 units Dec 2025
New Housing Price Index MoM -0.20 0.00 percent Dec 2025
New Housing Price Index YoY -2.00 -1.93 percent Dec 2025
Housing Index 122.00 122.20 points Dec 2025
Housing Starts 238.00 280.70 Thousand units Jan 2026
Price to Rent Ratio 125.50 128.87 Sep 2025
Residential Property Prices -3.60 -1.70 Percent Jun 2025


Canada Housing Starts
In Canada, a housing start is defined as the beginning of construction work on the building where the dwelling unit will be located. This can be described in 2 ways: usually, the stage when the concrete has been poured for the whole of the footing around the structure; or an equivalent stage where a basement will not be part of the structure.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
238.00 280.70 321.28 90.70 1977 - 2026 Thousand units Monthly
Volume, SA

News Stream
Canadian Housing Starts Sink
Housing starts in Canada sank by 15% from the previous month to a seasonally adjusted of 238,049 in January of 2026, firmly below market expectations of 263,300, to mark the lowest rate in five months. Urban housing starts in centers with populations over 10,000 people fell by 18.7% to 218,182. In turn, rural starts were estimated at the 20,487 mark.
2026-02-16
Canadian Housing Starts Rise to 5-Month High
Housing starts in Canada rose by 11% from the previous month to a seasonally adjusted of 282,439 in December of 2025, firmly above market expectations of 260,000, to mark the highest rate in five months. Urban housing starts in centers with populations over 10,000 people rose by 12% to 270,168. In turn, rural starts were estimated at the 12,271 mark.
2026-01-16
Canada Housing Starts Rebound in November 2025
Housing starts in Canada rose 9.4% month-on-month in November 2025, rebounding from a 17% decline in October to reach a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 254,058 units, slightly above the market expectation of 250,000. Urban housing starts in centres with populations over 10,000 increased 11% to 233,573 units, while rural starts were 20,485 units. Among major urban areas, Montreal saw a 24% year-on-year surge, partially offsetting declines in Toronto (-11%) and Vancouver (-1%).
2025-12-15